is there a way to put a cork in a bottle without a corker or will i need to buy one?if so what type do you recommend?
i have tryed to knock one in with a hammer but no joy at all.....
corking wine bottles
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Horden Hillbilly
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I would recommend that you buy a corker, IMHO it is not worth risking breaking your bottles or loosing your wine by trying to manage without one. Check this http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/cata ... e=0&page=1 out to view various types of corkers, I started out with the cheapest one, while it did the job I later bought a twin lever type which made life a lot easier.
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Road Runner
As HH says, definately buy yourself a proper corker machine. Don't muck about with the cheapy plastic hammer in corkers either. I had one and it broke in no time. The lever type are far better.
I have one of http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item969.htm twin lever corkers.
This is Leyland Home Brews pic. But most good home brew shops will stock them. Mine cost about £10 and is worth every penny. The corks glide in really easily.
I have one of http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item969.htm twin lever corkers.
This is Leyland Home Brews pic. But most good home brew shops will stock them. Mine cost about £10 and is worth every penny. The corks glide in really easily.
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craggy
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Road Runner
The corks you buy should be a standard size. Although I believe you can get tapered corks too, which are supposed to be a hand push fit. But I don't like the sound of these.
The corker machines have a slightly tapered cone that you put your straight corks into. When you push down on the levers, this cone then squeezes the corks slightly narrower than the bottle aperture to give a tight fit in the bottle neck when the corks naturally spring out again.
You can also get flashy shrink caps to put over your corks once inserted, to give your bottles a nice finnishing touch.
The corker machines have a slightly tapered cone that you put your straight corks into. When you push down on the levers, this cone then squeezes the corks slightly narrower than the bottle aperture to give a tight fit in the bottle neck when the corks naturally spring out again.
You can also get flashy shrink caps to put over your corks once inserted, to give your bottles a nice finnishing touch.
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Horden Hillbilly
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Good luck with your bottling Craggy, you have certainly made life easier for yourself by getting a decent corker first time, I wish I had! Mine is the same type as shown on RR's link. Although I use the same size corks, I always find that some are easier to insert than others, I suspect there is a slight difference in the size of my bottle openings.
Regarding cork types, there are a few variations of them, click http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/cata ... e=0&page=1 to see a few different types. I always use the silicone coated grade 1's as shown on the link, no soaking required, place in the corker & lower your handles, job done, as simple & easy as that!
I would also advise you to stand your bottles upright for 3 days after corking, this allows the corks to swell back to their original size after being squashed in your corker, thus preventing "weeping" from your bottles when you lay them down.
Regarding cork types, there are a few variations of them, click http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/cata ... e=0&page=1 to see a few different types. I always use the silicone coated grade 1's as shown on the link, no soaking required, place in the corker & lower your handles, job done, as simple & easy as that!
I would also advise you to stand your bottles upright for 3 days after corking, this allows the corks to swell back to their original size after being squashed in your corker, thus preventing "weeping" from your bottles when you lay them down.